Safety switch



F, MOSCATQ SAFETY SWITCH Filed Sept. 26,

Patented Apr. 11 1933.

UNlTED STATES PATENT ors ca SAFETY SWITCH Application fled September as, 1981. Serial in. 565,874.

This invention relates to a safety device or switch for internal combustion engines of automobiles and the like. The switch is rimarily desi ed to prevent an engine an automobile h ding started when the gear shift lever of the transmission is in either of its gear shifting positions, coupling the engine with the ground driving wheels, to the end, that the automobile cannot be set in motion,

unintentionally, and possibly cause destruction of property and injury to persons near the automo ile.

The switch may be applied to an automobile as a part thereof in the manufacture of the automobile, or the switch may be in the form of an accessory to be applied to auto mobiles already in use which is an important feature of the switch.

One of the ob'ects attained is that the 29 switch ma be rea ily put into use, and while in use wi not get out of order from causes such as dust moisture, oil and others.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a switch of the indicated character which will be simple of construction, also suited for economic manufacture, and of efiicient and substantial design.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention are attained by the combination, constructions, and functions of the parts constituting the device hereinafter fully described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which,

Figure 1 is-a side view of a transmission, and the switch employed in combination therewith, the gear shift lever being shown in its neutral position;

Figure 2 is a central section of the switch 49 which is closed as would be the case'when the gear shift lever is in its neutral position; Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 but showing the switch open, themova ble contact being shown in full lines in the position it would assume if the gear shift lever were in either the first or high speed positions, and said contact vbeing shown in dot and dash lines in the position it would assume, if thegear shift lever were in either its intermedim ate speed or reverse position;

Figure 4 is a transversesection on the lin 4-4 of Fi re 2.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention involves a motion transmission means 10 of an internal combustion engine or the like which includes a gear shift lever 11. This lever is movable as usual through difierent paths from a neutral position to the usual other in gear positions. The device in the formvof an electric switch operates in conjunction with the lever v11 and may be a tached in any suitable manner in relation to the lever.

The device includes a metal casing 12 of tubiform, the same being cylindrical in the present instance. A lining 13 is arranged inside of the cylindrical wall of the casing, and this lining is made of suitable insulating material such as dialetco or vulcanized fiber. The lining has a recess 14 on the inside substantially midway of the ends thereof. A metal contact 15 in the form of a roller is arranged in the recess 14 and is mounted on the end of a flat springy metal strip 16 which extends throu h the lining 13 and extends exteriorly of t e casing, the outer end thereof bein provided with suitable means 17, for esta lishing an electrical connection with a conductor or lead wire 18. A slide is arranged within the casing 12 and is guided for movement by the lining 13, both the lining and the slide being of cylindrical formation. The slide is composed of insulator sections 19 and a metal contact section 20 arranged between the sections 19, and said sections 19 and 20 being held together by a metal rod 21 and nuts 22, 23 threaded re-' spectively on the opposite ends of the rod 21. The v insulator sections '19 may beformed of the same material as the lining 13. The contact section 20 tightly fits on the rod 21 to make a proper electrical con nection between these parts. If desired, the contact section 20 and the rod sections may be formed of a single piece of metal. A push and pull element 24 consisting of a stout steel wire has one end thereof electricall connected with the nut 22 and its opposite end is electrically connected with the lever 11 by a suitable clamp 25. The casing the automobile. if the lever 12 has a neck 26. A steel wire spiral guide 27 surrounds the neck 26 and. projects be yond the same. The element 24 extends throu h felt packing 28 in the neck 26 and also t rough the guide 27. In this manner the element 24 will be properly guided in its movement in response to the movement of the lever 11, the guide 27 serving to prevent the element from kinking. The casing 12 has lugs 29 for attachinv the device in relation to the lever 11, in the present instance these lugs are bolted as at 30 to the floor board of the automobile and the cover of the gear case. The conductor or lead wire 18 is e ectrically connected with a terminal of the automatic starting switch. The element 24 as connected with the lever 11 forms a ground connection to complete a circuit through the starting motor when the contact 20 is in engagement with the contact 15,

On reference to Figure 2, it will be apparent that the slide is in a position in which the contact 20 is in engagement with the contact 15, because of the fact that the lever 11 is in its neutral position, as shown in Figure 1. It will therefore be understood that the circuit will be closed through the starting motor enabling the operator tooperate the motor to start the engine by placing the key in the starting switch. lln the event that the gear shift lever ll is not in neutral position, but is in a near shitting position, the contact 20 will e out of engagement with the contest 15, thereby breaking the circuit through the sterting inc-tor, the lever ii is left to remain in the first speed position or high speed position the slide will be drawn upwardly to the position shown in Figure 3 lull lines through the intervention of the element The contact 2% will then be out oi engagement with the contact 15 and us a result the circuit through the starting notor will be broken and it will be impossible to start the engine, thereby averting the automobile being set inmotion unintentionally and possibly causing damage to property, and injury to persons near ll has been left in either of its forward positions, that is to say, in the intermediate speed position or reverse position, the slide will. be moved to a down position, as shown in Figure 3 in dot and dash lines, in which the contact 20 will be out of engagement with the contact 15 thereby breaching circuit to the motor for the purpose mentioned above.

I claim:

1. The combination with a gear shift lover of a motion transmission means; of a safety switch comprising a casing in fixed relation to the lover, a contact within the casing and insulated therefrom and provided with means exteriorly of the casing for connecting the same with a suitable conductor, a contact within the casing and insulated therelever and the movable contact to move the latter into engagement with the first contact in the movement of the lever into its neutral position, and the movable contact being moved out of engagement with said first contact by said element in the movement of the lever into any of its gear shifting positions 2. An electric switch comprising a casing of tubiform, a lining of insulating material in said casing, a contact carried by said lining and provided with means exteriorly of the casing for connecting the same with a suitable conductor, a contact which is guided for movement by said lining into and out of engagement with said first contact, and a push and pull flexible element of conducting material electrically connected with said movable contact and extending exteriorly of said casing for connection with a gear shift lever and serving to move said last contact into and out of engagement with said first contact in response to the operation of the lever.

3. An electric switch comprising a casing of tubiform, a lining of insulating material in said casing, a contact carried by said lining and provided with means exteriorly of the casing for connecting the same with at suitable conductor, a slide guided formovemcnt by said lining, said slide having a contact movable into and out of engagement with said first contact in the movement of the slide, and a push and pull element of. con ducting material which is attached to the slide and electrically connected with the contact carried thereby, said element extendin extcriorly of the casing for connection wit a gear shift lever to operate the slide to move the slide contact into engagement with the other contsct to close a circuit, and to move the slide contact out of engagement with the other contact to open the circuit in response to the movement of said lever:

'41. ilhe combination with a control member movable through different paths, of an electric switch. including 2, casing in fixed relation to said member, a movable contact within said casing, a push and pull flexible element connected with said contact and extending exteriorly of said casing and connected with said control member to move the contact into and out of circuit closing positions in re sponse to the movement of said control member, and means 0 the casing to guide said element.

5. The combination with a control member movable throu h different paths, of an electric switch inc uding a casing in fixed relation to said member, a movable contact within said casing,- a push and pull flexible element connected with said contact and extending ext'eriorly of said casing and connected with said control member to move the contact into and out of circuit cl positions in response to the movement 0 sad control member, and means on the casing to guide and 6 element, said means consisting of a. laterall 20 and a. push and pull flexible guide projecting from the casing on pecking on the casing m both of which Slid element moves. 1 h

- 6. The combination with a. control member 10 movable thro h diflerent paths, of an electric switch inc uding a movable contact, and

a push and pull flexible element connected with the control member and contact to move the contact into and out of circuit closing.

15 positions in response to the movement of sci control member.

7. The combination with a control mem-- ber moveble through diflerent paths, of on electric switch including a movable contact,

exible element connected with the control member and 'contact to move the contact into and out of circuit closing positions in i use to the movement of said control m u i and said ele- ,25 ment also constituting a conductor for the electric current.

uoscno. 

